There are many visual effects which have been created in the prior art for use in structural graphic displays such as greeting cards, desk nameplates, and other ornamental objects such as lamps, vases, or the like. One example is that shown in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,051 which discloses an anamorphic greeting card generally comprised of a mirrored surface placed perpendicular to and in close juxtaposition to another surface on which is printed a distorted anamorphic image. As the card is unfolded and assembled, the image becomes discernible by viewing it in the reflective surface. Thus, this patent teaches the concept of directly viewing a reflective surface to discern an image imprinted on another surface which is out of the line of sight. Still another example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,985 which discloses a desk nameplate generally comprised of a right angle glass prism mounted on a mirror, with one of the prism faces being etched with an inverted image such that when the image is viewed in the mirror, the inverted image is righted and is intelligible. With this device, an image is viewed and is discernible in a reflective or mirror surface while the observer looks through an unadulterated or blank prism face. Thus, the observer has a direct line of sight to the mirrored surface for viewing of the image.
The inventor herein has succeeded in designing and developing a structural graphic display which produces an interesting and pleasing visual effect. Essentially, the inventor's concept utilizes a first surface which is generally transparent except that an image is imprinted thereon in reversed format. This first surface is then juxtaposed opposite a second generally reflective surface and oriented such than an observer looks directly through the first generally transparent surface and reversed image into the second generally reflective surface, and the reflection therein, in order to view the corrected image. To enhance this effect, the inventor has found that a number of generally transparent surfaces, each with their own image, may be arranged in a polygon to enclose the space above a second generally reflective surface. When an observer is oriented to directly view the reflective surface in a generally perpendicular line of sight, not only are all of the various images reconstructed in their reflections in a manner which is discernible to the eye, but the geometric shape of the first surfaces is also seen in the reflected image which gives a delightfully pleasing effect of depth. This is especially enhanced by the various angles which the transparent surfaces take with respect to each other, the essence of which is recaptured in their reflection. Upon viewing a structural graphic display of the present invention, the eye is completely fooled into believing that there is a depth beyond the back of the reflective surface. An observer's first reaction is to look behind the reflective surface to ascertain whether such a depth is in existence in reality or only in the mind's eye. Of course, the observer is mildly astonished to find that the feeling of depth is created with no realistic depth being provided by the graphic display.
Not only is this visual effect achievable in the concept of a purely ornamental graphic display, but the inventor has also found that such a graphic display can be incorporated into a light fixture for illuminating a room with indirect lighting. This is achieved by placing a light source on the opposite side of the reflective surface, and making the reflective surface out of a one-way mirror type of material such that light transmits through the reflective surface and the transparent surfaces to display the reversed images on the ceiling and walls. During the day, the light may be switched off and the device once again resembles a structural graphic display.
Still another use which can be made of the inventor's structural graphic display is disclosed in the form of two different kinds of clocks. In one of these, pairs of first and second surfaces are matched and assembled in a generally concentric fashion. Numbers representing the time of day are imprinted on the first surfaces of each pair, with one pair being representative of hours, one of minutes, and the last of seconds. A timepiece movement is then connected to one surface in each of the pairs, with only a small portion of the second surface having reflective material thereon such that as the reflective "patch" is rotated into proper alignment, the correct number is displayed corresponding to the hour, minute, or second, as appropriate.
Still another arrangement for a clock is represented by three cup-like surfaces which are mounted atop each other such that their sidewalls are exposed. In this embodiment, the entire assembly may be supported from a support and a time line indicated on the sidewall of the support such that the numbers which line up with the time line are those which are operative.
In addition to these functional uses, several other graphic ornamental uses are disclosed. These can be incorporated in paper weights, greeting cards, or the like and have uses which are only limited by the creativity of the user.